Emotional numbness is a social construct that manifests itself through the repression of one's feelings and experiences. This means that an individual's ability to express their emotions, whether positive or negative, is curtailed in some way or form.
Someone who feels no pain after being stung by a bee can be said to have developed this trait because they do not experience the discomfort associated with getting pricked by it. Emotionally numbed people are also called "emotionally dead" because they feel nothing when confronted with stressful situations or difficult emotions like anger, sadness, joy, fear, etc.
Adolescence is a time for experimentation and self-discovery; young people explore new aspects of themselves while learning how to relate to others around them. During this phase, many adolescents develop behavior patterns that become ingrained into their adult lives. One such pattern is emotional numbness, which has been linked to an increased risk for depression and anxiety later in life.
There are several reasons why this may happen, including social pressure and expectations placed upon individuals during this critical developmental period.
Social rewards refer to the ways in which society reinforces certain behaviors over others. In terms of emotional numbing, these include things like praise from peers for being able to handle stress without showing emotion or criticism for displaying emotions publicly. When teenagers receive positive feedback for exhibiting this behavior, they may internalize it as desirable and continue doing so even after leaving high school.
If a group of friends praises one member for always appearing calm under pressure, that individual will likely keep up this behavior throughout college or beyond. The same goes for those who are criticized for crying too easily or showing too much enthusiasm about their feelings; these individuals learn early on that expressing strong emotion isn't acceptable within their peer groups.
This can lead to significant psychological issues like depression or anxiety disorders that require professional help to manage.
Society expects individuals to be stoic and unaffected by external events, especially when it comes to painful experiences like losing a loved one or failing at something important. Teenagers often face a lot of pressure not to show vulnerability because it might make them appear weak or unstable. This means that many adolescents develop a tendency towards emotional detachment as a way of coping with difficult situations instead of facing them head-on. As adults, some people find themselves unable to connect deeply with others due to this habitual response mechanism developed in childhood/adolescence. Others struggle with maintaining close relationships or forming healthy attachments altogether because they lack the necessary skills required for building trust between partners.
The bottom line is that emotional numbness is becoming more common among young people than ever before.
There are ways you can prevent yourself from developing such traits during your teens without resorting to drugs or alcohol abuse! By learning how to recognize the signs early on, you can take steps towards regaining control over your emotions before they become habitual patterns that affect every aspect of your life.
How does emotional numbness become a socially rewarded behavior among adolescents?
According to researchers, emotional numbness can become a socially rewarded behavior among adolescents due to several factors, including peer pressure, social norms, media influence, personal experiences, and cultural beliefs. Peer pressure is one of the most significant contributors to this phenomenon.